Talk about lofty aspirations - Canadian author Tanis Rideout set out to recreate in fiction the real life experiences of George Mallory and his crew during their fateful 1924 attempt to summit Everest. Read an interview about trying to put herself at that altitude.

There's poetry in the short story of Toronto's Ayelet Tsabari. The Israeli-Canadian author's debut collection The Best Place on Earth speaks in a language all its own, and explores the individuals and relationships going on behind climate, politics, wars and more, whether in Israel, or on either Canadian coast.

Victoria, BC-born author Marjorie Celona talks to us about growing up, belonging, being nominated for the Giller Prize, and the importance of a dog at one's feet - and of course, all about her debut novel, Y, which has critics buzzing with excitement.

Madeline Miller has a bright future in literature. Enjoy our interview where she discusses Achilles, the power of grief in literature, the Illiad, Watership Down and the thrill of winning the Orange Prize in London ahead of the likes of Ann Patchett, Esi Edugyan and Anne Enright.

Vancouver actor and playwright Carmen Aguirre did not have the typical Canadian childhood. Instead, her family participated in the resistance in South America against Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in the 80s.

Co-owner of a comic shop, and author/illustrator of the Magic Teeth Dailies (as well as creator of The Perogy Cat), Gareth Gaudin talks to us about comics, being in the book industry, and the joys and challenges of going to work every day doing what he loves.

Canadian poet Susan Briscoe talks to us about the gradual changing of the seasons, line breaks, love and birds, as well as her poetry book, The Crow's Vow, whose strikingly simple pink cover won our beautiful book battle in March Madness.

Whether it's the madness-fueled destruction of a unique and spiritually significant old-growth spruce tree or the terrifying saga of a vengeance-crazed tiger stalking people in the woords of Southeastern Russia, John Vaillant's meticulous detail and talent for anticipation brings a story to life like nobody else.

Esi Edugyan is a Victoria-based novelist whose second book Half Blood Blues, earned more critical acclaim and attention than Edugyan ever expected. Set in the smoky backdrops of WWII Europe jazz clubs and bars, the story is unforgettable and creative. Meet the woman behind the words.

Irish-Canadian author Emma Donoghue's 2010 novel Room created a bigger buzz than anyone anticipated. A novel with a message of hope despite its incredibly dark subject matter, It made the NYT bestseller list, won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and the Governor General's Literary Awards - and Donoghue isn't done yet.

Terry Fallis, author of The Best Laid Plans which won both the Leacock Medal for Humour in 2008 and the 2011 Canada Reads competition, talks to us about unusual publishing methods, political paradoxes, and the most fun parts of writing - as well as whether we've seen the last of some memorable characters.

BC author and historian Lynne Stonier-Newman tells us about her non-fiction book Peter O'Reilly: The Rise of a Reluctant Immigrant and how she became fascinated by and compelled to write about the life of one of Victoria's early settlers, including the hard luck stories and get rich tales of the gold rush, and disputes between settlers and First Nations bands.

Award-winning mystery writer Alan Bradley's second novel The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag is proving as popular as his first. The 71-year-old Canadian tells us what's new, what's next, and about the irresistible Ms. Flavia de Luce.

Born and raised in Chicago, author Billy Lombardo loves baseball. His latest novel, The Man with Two Arms, follows a unique pitcher with an unusual trait - true ambidextrousness. Lombardo's novel explores the ups and downs of life, love, and America's favorite pastime.

Canadian author Denise Chong's third book is a nonfiction account of the three Chinese men who threw paint-filled eggs at a giant image of Chairman Mao shortly before the government suppression of democracy campaigners and the infamous Tiananmen Square massacre.

Rabindranath Maharaj is a Trinidad-born Canadian author. His fourth novel, The Amazing Absorbing Boy, was published in January 2010. Here, Maharaj talks with us about his influences and inspirations, the importance of perception, and the similarities between immigrants and superheroes.

Psychotic shrubs, vicious vines, and poisonous petals - Amy Stewart's fascination with the beasts and boogeymen of botany makes for a captivating read, complete with stunningly beautiful copper etchings accompanying. Read about her favourite venomous stems, and how she got into poisonous plants in the first place.

Most famous for her bestselling novel The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory has published fifteen novels in total, the latest of which, The White Queen deals with murder, mystery and the fight for the English throne. Read about Gregory's book tastes, research methods, and obsession with the past.

Michael Crummey grew up in Newfoundland and Labrador. His third novel, Galore, is a vast, intricate story full of twists and turns and folklore. With superstitions, grudges and traditions, the book successfully encapsulates the stories and experiences of generations in a small fishing village in Newfoundland.

R.J. Ellory is a Birmingham, UK author with seven published thrillers under his belt. As far from boastful as possible, Ellory is grateful for his fans and will happily talk about his books anywhere - even a 15 person book club, if they'll have him. But beware, he has a dark past - he revealed to us that he once did prison time for stealing and eating a chicken from a monastery.

Canadian author Alan Bradley talks about idealism, writing, and his experiences with travel and the media. And of course, all about his novel The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, which won Britain's 2007 Crime Writer's Association Debut Dagger Award.

In 1993, Erica Johnson Debeljak married and moved from New York City to Ljubljana, Slovenia where she became a literary translator (from Slovenian into English), writer, and occasional interpreter of all things American. Her 2009 memoir Forbidden Bread was published by North Atlantic Books.

Publisher and editor-in-chief at Canada's Maclean's Magazine, Kenneth Whyte is no stranger to print media himself. Now he brings us The Uncrowned King: The Sensational Rise of William Randolph Hearst: an in-depth look at the life and success of William Randolph Hearst, the most famous - or infamous - newspaper mogul of all.

In Jeff Rubin's new book Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller, the economist discusses alternate energy sources, and how the key to our future is going to be energy usage reduction. What does that mean? We'll need to look a lot more to our own backyard for our needs.

A blog that became a book, Stuff White People Like is a tongue-in-cheek, list-style discussion of... well, stuff that white people like. Christian Lander talks about its success, its detractors, and how it all began.

Step into the dark world of Tunnels with Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams. The co-authors talk to AbeBooks about Deeper - the follow up to their 2007 fantasy bestseller, Tunnels, where teenage hero Will Burrows travels deeper underground and deeper into trouble.

When it comes to mysteries, Chris Knopf is old school. The author tells us about creating Sam Acquillo and why he himself prefers hardboiled, noir detective stories to the modern thrillers usually published today.

Jen Hadfield is a 30-year-old British-Canadian poet whose second collection, Nigh-No-Place, won the 2008 T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry. We chatted with Hadfield about what inspired her, what's next, and a fish market as a muse.

Malcolm Gladwell prefers to write about the mundane, but extremely influential, aspects of life rather than the exotic. Published in January, Blink:
The Power of Thinking Without Thinking has cemented his position as a leading cultural commentator and is a best-seller across the world.

Matt Haig, author of The Dead Fathers Club and The Last Family in England, tells us how he channels Shakespeare, MySpace, and the universal subject of death to write and promote his very original books.

Meet Douglas Glover, author of Governor General Literary Award-winning Elle.Glover talkes to AbeBooks about his favorite reads (Canadian and otherwise), and what drew him to write the strange and fantastical story of Elle on the island.

Anne Perry has been a published author since 1979 when The Cater Street Hangman hit the bookshelves. Now she has 50 books to her name with Long Spoon Lane – a tale of Victorian terrorism – published in April 2005.

Anthony Bourdain is frank and often blunt, but he's always entertaining. The chef-turned-author-turned-TV star tells it like it is when it comes to vegans, Gordon Ramsay, and the worst restaurant in the world.

The world remains fascinated with the mystique of Marie Antoinette. Elisabeth de Feydeau's A Scented Palace - which traces the story of Jean-Louis Fargeon, Marie's devoted perfumer - offers a fresh scent on the French monarch, her extravagant life and her dramatic demise.

Alain de Botton’s career has been spent writing books that tackle questions of everyday life. They refer both to his experiences and ideas – and those of artists, philosophers and thinkers of the past.